Pay us to play IPL: Counties

London: England captain Kevin Pietersen and allrounder Andrew Flintoff may have to pay compensation out of their pockets to their respective counties were they to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Though IPL doesn’t have any provision to pay compensation by a franchise for buying a player, Hampshire, who have Pietersen on their roster, and Lancashire have made it clear that the players or the franchise will have to pay them. “Some people think that because a player has a central contract the county doesn’t have anything to do with him any more. The England management might like to think that is the case. But it’s not,” said Rod Bransgrove, chairman of Hampshire.

Officials named

Calcutta: Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees will lead the playing control team for the upcoming Test series between Australia and South Africa, according to an ICC release. Asoka de Silva, Aleem Dar, Billy Doctrove and Billy Bowden, all from the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, will be the on-field umpires for the three-Test rubber.

Mendis out

Colombo: An ankle injury has forced Ajantha Mendis out of Sri Lanka’s squad for their Bangladesh tour this month, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said Thursday.

The Squad: Mahela Jayawardene (Capt.), Kumar Sangakkara, Malinda Warnapura, Michael Vandort Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardena, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath, Dammika Prasad, Chamara Kapugedera, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Thilan Thushara.

Lawsuit

Chennai: Former BCCI president A.C. Muthiah filed a civil suit in Madras High Court seeking to set aside an amendment to one of the BCCI’s regulations that prohibited a board administrator to have direct or indirect commercial interest in matches or events conducted by it.

Raju resigns

Calcutta: Venkatapathi Raju has decided against continuing with his assignment as Orissa’s Ranji coach.

Lahiri tied 18th

Siem Reap (Cambodia): Anirban Lahiri was at the tied 18th spot after the opening round of the $300,000 Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open golf Thursday.

Punished

Lausanne: Two Belarusian hammer throwers were Thursday stripped of their Olympic silver and bronze medals for doping, nearly four months after the competition in Beijing.

Simi leads

New Delhi: Simi Mehra extended her lead to nine strokes on the second day of the sixth leg of the DLF Women’s Professional Golf Tour at the Classic Golf Resort Thursday.

Staff Reporter & Agencies